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Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 15

The Forest of Material Existence (Saṁsāra-vana) and the Delivering Path of Bharata’s Teachings

क्‍वचिदासाद्य गृहं दाववत्प्रियार्थविधुरमसुखोदर्कं शोकाग्निना दह्यमानो भृशं निर्वेदमुपगच्छति ॥ १५ ॥

kvacid āsādya gṛhaṁ dāvavat priyārtha-vidhuram asukhodarkaṁ śokāgninā dahyamāno bhṛśaṁ nirvedam upagacchati.

Đôi khi, gặp đời sống gia đình như ngọn lửa rừng: chẳng có chút hạnh phúc đáng yêu nào, và dần dần chỉ thêm bất hạnh. Bị thiêu đốt bởi lửa sầu muộn, nó rơi vào chán chường sâu sắc. Trong đời sống tại gia không có gì thuận lợi cho hạnh phúc vĩnh cửu. Mắc kẹt ở đó, khi thì nó tự trách mình quá bất hạnh, khi thì cho rằng khổ này do thiếu công đức ở đời trước.

kvacitsometimes
kvacit:
Deśa/Kāla-adhikaraṇa (देश/काल-अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkvacit (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय) ‘somewhere/sometimes’
āsādyahaving reached
āsādya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā + sad (सद् धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), ‘having reached/approached’
gṛhama house
gṛham:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootgṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
dāva-vatlike a forest fire
dāva-vat:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdāva + vat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormComparative particle -vat used adverbially (उपमा-अव्ययप्राय) ‘like a forest-fire’
priya-artha-vidhuramdevoid of desired things
priya-artha-vidhuram:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpriya + artha + vidhura (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: priye arthaḥ, tena vidhuraḥ ‘deprived of desired objects’ (qualifies gṛham)
asukha-udarkamending in misery
asukha-udarkam:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa (कर्म-विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootasukha + udarka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; तत्पुरुष: asukhasya udarkaḥ ‘having an unhappy outcome’
śoka-agnināby the fire of grief
śoka-agninā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootśoka + agni (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष: śokasya agniḥ ‘fire of grief’
dahyamānaḥbeing burned
dahyamānaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootdah (दह् धातु)
FormPresent passive participle (शानच्/मान), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘being burned’
bhṛśamgreatly
bhṛśam:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhṛśam (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय) ‘greatly/excessively’
nirvedamdisgust, dispassion
nirvedam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootnirveda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
upagacchatiattains, comes to
upagacchati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootupa + gam (गम् धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person, Singular; parasmaipada

In the Gurv-aṣṭaka, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has sung:

FAQs

This verse explains that material home life can burn like a forest fire—when one is separated from what is dear and when the inevitable outcome is misery—leading to grief and eventual disillusionment.

Because attachment in family life can suddenly intensify into suffering through loss, separation, and anxiety—burning the heart with lamentation—just as a forest fire consumes everything without warning.

Recognize that happiness based solely on changing relationships and possessions is unstable; cultivate devotion and spiritual practice so that inevitable losses do not consume the mind with grief, and let disillusionment mature into healthy detachment.